244 EIDER DUCK. Class II. 



the shore, and prepares a soft bed for them, by 

 plucking the down from its own breast ; the na- 

 tives watch the opportunity, and take away both 

 eggs and nest : the duck lays again, and repeats 

 the plucking of its breast; if she is robbed after 

 that, she will still lay, but the drakes must sup- 

 ply the down, as her stock is now exhausted ; if 

 her eggs are taken a third time, she wholly de- 

 serts the place. 



When I visited the Farti isles* I found the 

 ducks sitting, and took some of the nests, the 

 base of which was formed of sea plants, and 

 covered with the down. After separating it 

 carefully from the plants, it weighed only three 

 quarters of an ounce, yet was so elastic as to 

 fill a larger space than the crown of the greatest 

 hat. These birds are not numerous on the 

 isles ; and it was observed that the drakes kept 

 on those most remote from the sitting places. 

 The ducks continue on their nests till you come 

 almost close to them, and when they rise are 

 very slow fliers. The number of eggs in each 

 nest were from three to five, warmly bedded in 

 the down, of a pale olive color, and very large, 

 glossy and smooth. 

 Descrit- ^\\\'=^ kind is double the size of the common 



TION. 



(luck : its bill is black ; the feathers of the fore- 



- " * July 15th. 176p. 



